Fire destroys film set

The set of Leonardo DiCaprio's new movie has
been burned by wildfires as southern California's infernos hit Hollywood movie
and television productions, a studio said today.

The set of the star's film
The Aviator, the story of billionaire flyer and movie mogul Howard
Hughes, was partially destroyed by a fire roaring through the Simi Valley,
northeast of Los Angeles, Daily Variety said.

The fires, which have
been blazing through the area since the weekend, forced producers Warner Bros
and Miramax Pictures to cancel plans to shoot flying scenes on a farm in the
area.

"We moved to cover sets because the surroundings weren't conducive to
shooting due to the blackened skies," Warners said in a statement.

"For
our production, this is just a minor inconvenience as compared to those who are
currently suffering through the devastating effects of the fire," the Hollywood
studio added.

Producers shifted production to the port city of Long Beach,
south of Los Angeles, where they switched to interior shooting as the skies of
Los Angeles were blanketed by a pall of thick smoke.